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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7789, 8 November 1886, Page 11

I . Miss Flora Power (daughter of Mr. E. H. Power, formerly of the Thames), who is only 16 years of age, has just taken First Class Honours in music at Trinity College, London. The Colonial Insurance Company have issued a circular to the shareholders, stating that the : alance at the close of last year has ly disappeared, and that a fair amount now stands to the credit of the profit and loss account. The directors' report of the National Insurance Company shows the nett premiums to have been £175,078, which after making the usual provision for unearned premiums leaves, with last year's balance, a surplus of £15.882. The 10 per cent, dividend absorbs £9505, and after providing for the estimated loss on mortgages, £4326 is carried forward. At a test of cements, conducted under the auspices of the Christchurch Industrial Association with the Lyttelton Harbour Board's testing machine, the Auckland stood a strain 75 per cent, greater than any imported, the Auckland cement not breaking till it stood a strain of 58Slb to the square inoh, the best imported breaking at 3891b. The Industrial Association have resolved to request the Government that New Zealand cement be used as far as possible in public works. A rather novel marriage took place at the Catholic Chapel, Panmure, on October 26, when Mr. Kent, of Howick, was married to Mrs. McGrath. The bridegroom is 73 years of age, and owns some property in Howick. His wife was buried nine days before the second marriage, and when the parties to the high contract appeared at the altar they did not know each other. - Kent has a crippled son of about 30 years of age. The bride has a large grown family. On their way home from the church, the fates were against them. The trap upset, and the newly wedded couple were thrown out, but did not sustain any serious injuries. We are informed that Mr. Eemington, general manager of the Mutual Life Association of Australasia, acting under instructions from his board in Sydney, has accepted a tender for the erection of their new building in Queen-street, Auckland, of which we gave a description not long ago. It promises to be a new feature in Auckland architecture, as. the whole of the front elevation of four storeys, except ?. blue stone base course, will be in Sydney stone, from the best Pyrmont quarry. The design, which is very handsome, was prepared by Mr. L. Boldini, of Dunedin, and will be carried out under his direction, with local supervision by Messrs. Mahoney and Son, ■ architects, of this city. The successful contractors are Messrs. Todd and Holland, and the sum £11,000. The 24 hours' walking match, which com. menoed on Ootober 15 in the City Hal], was continued all October 16 and ended in a - rather easy victory for McCune, who was left alone to finish the time about an hour before the fixed hour—ten o'clock* The match was also robbed of a good deal of the interest attached to it by the retirement between one and two o'clock of Huckstep, J. Hendry, and A. Hendry. McCune, who had then a lead of two miles and 28 laps, was thus left with Stevenson to contest the finish* The latter kept gamely to his task _ till about nine o'clock, when he had negotiated 87 miles 8 laps, and finding he could not reduce McCune's start, he left the track for > good. MoCune walked on leisurely till a few minnteß to ten o'clock, when he spurted ■ for a few laps, and won with a distance of 93 miles 10 laps recorded to him. The departure of Mr. Justice Gillies by the , Mariposa on Oct. 12 afforded an opportunity ' to the legal profession of testifying their - Respect for one who has for bo many years held the high and onerous position of a Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand in its northern district. Shortly before the departure of the steamer a number of legal gentlemen proceeded on board. There were present Messrs. Button, Buddie, Devore, S. Hesketh, Coleman, and Mahony, Mr. C. E. Button (Whitaker and Russell), ; in a few well chosen words, expressed the regret that was felt at Mr. Gillies' illness ' having rendered it necessary that he should require to absent himself for so long a period from Auckland, but at the same time trusting that he would return completely restored to health. Mr. Button's remarks were echoed by his legal brethren, and Mr. Gillies, in replying, expressed the great , pleasure it gave him to hear such hearty expressions of goodwill towards himself, which he valued all the more, inasmuch as . the present meeting had taken him entirely by surprise*